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(No Model.) 1 F. H. WEEKS.

' HANDLING FREIGHT.

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and truck I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS H. WEEKS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

HANDLING FREIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,235, dated March 20, 1883. Application filed December 4, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H. WEEKs, of the city, county, and State of NewYork, have inventedanew and Improved System of Handling Freight, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to facilitate the handling of freight in railroad-depots, on docks, and in similar places; and itconsists of a narrow-gage endless railroad and endless propelling-chain built in the freight-platform, and of a system of sidings and small platform cars or trucks and automatic switches, whereby any of the trucks may be switched automatically from the main track to any desired siding, the trucks being moved'alon g the track by the endless chain and, caused to automatically stop at one point in the circuit of the endless track to receive the load.

Referenceis to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

- Figure 1 is a plan view of a freight-platform having myinvention applied thereto, and sh.ow

, in g a train of freight-cars standing alongside the platform, ready to receivefreight. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, taken on the line as w of Fig. 1, looking toward the rear end of the truck. Fig. 3is a plan view of a section of the track, showing the automatic switch; and Fig. 4. is a sectional elevation of the platform taken outhe line y y of Fig.1.

The'freight-platform A is of ordinary construction, and is of about the same height as the floors of the freight-cars B B.

Built in or upon the platform A is the endless railway-track G, which is by preference of about three-feet gage, and runs down the platform about eight feet from that edge of the platform nearest the freight-cars, and returns about fourteen feet from the opposite edge to the starting-point at the head of the platform.

Midway between the rails of the track 0 is formed through the platform the groove or narrow space D, which extends nearly the whole length of the endless track.

Underneath the platform, immediately in line with the groove or space D, is placed the endless propelling-chain E, which runs, about eight inches below the level of the platform,

upon the sheaves F, a suitable number of which will be provided under the platform, along the whole length of the track, to properly support and guide the chain. At intervals of about twelve feet the chain E will be provided with the upright T- shaped plates G,

of iron, which run in the groove or narrow space Dyand reach above the platform A, for propelling the trucks H along the upper edges of these plates are made of a length nearly equal to the width of the platforms of the trucks, for the purpose hereinafter described. A stationary engine will be provided for propelling the chaimwhich will be passed over a revolving drum for that purpose.

The trucks H will by preference be about ten inches in height, and there will be as many of them as desired, and each truck will be provided at its rear end with an iron plate, J, that reaches a sufficient distance below the platform of the trucks to be engaged by the plates G for propelling the trucks along the track, and these plates J are so held to the rear ends of the trucks that they may be raised up, when desired, to permit the plates G G to pass under them and leave the trucks at rest, and the plates J are provided with a notch or projection, a, by means of which they may be held in the raised position.

At suitable intervals along one side of the track 0 are built in or upon the freight-platform the sidingsKK, which let into the main track by automatic switches, and which run .to or nearly to the edge of the platform and lead to the doors of the cars B B, as clearly illustratedin Fig. 1.

The form of automatic switch which I prefer to use for each siding is shown in Fig. 3, consisting of the frog 0, movable pointed section d, and the pivoted elbow-levers e ande, the former being adapted to be struck by a pin, f, placed inone of the holes in a plate, L, secured to the front of the trucks, for setting the switch at the proper time, the latter to be struck by the pin or projection f, secured to the rear of the trucks, for returning the switch to its normal position after the truck has passed upon the siding, thus leaving the main track clear for the succeeding trucks.

the track, and

The

plate L of the trucks will be formed with as many holes as there are sidings K, and the At the head of the platform A, or at any other part thereof where the freight to be shipped will be deposited, the endless chain E will be depressed for a short distance, so that the propelling-plates G will run below the level of the platform A, and thus cause all of the trucks to automaticallyeomc to a standstill at that point to receive their loads for another trip, and the platform is by preference formed with the openings 1) I), through which the plates G pass below and issue from under the platform, as will be understood from Fig.-

1. The plates G are each braced from the rear side by the brace-rods g, which reach from near the upper edge of the plates down to the chain E, as shown in Fig. 4. The lower edges of the plates J are made of a length about equal to the width of the platforms of the trucks, so that they will cause the trucks, as they pass to the sidings, to pass entirely off from the main track before the plates G disengage the said plates J, thus preventing all danger of accident from one car colliding with another at the switches.

In using my new system the freight-handlers will load the trucks at the head ofthe platform, or where they automatically come to a standstill, and as fast as loaded will push them by hand past the opening b, where they will be engaged by one of the plates G of the endless chain and moved down the track. Between the opening I) and the first siding will stand a sorter, whose duty it will be to read the marks on the freight and drop a pin f through one or other of the holes in the plate L, according to the car into which the freight is to be loaded, which pin will strike that Ievere whichstandsin line with the hole in which it is placed and close the switch to the siding leading to the desired car. From I this point the truck will be moved on the siding by hand to the car and the freight put in the car. The truck, when unloaded, may be moved back by hand over the siding upon the downtrack, to be drawn on around by the end-' less chain to the starting-point, or it may be moved across the downtrack on the track K, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1,) to the up side of the main track, from whence it will be drawn up by the endless chain to the starting-point for another trip. In the meantime many other trucks will have been loaded by the freight handlers and moved down the track and switched to other sidings for their loads of freight to be deposited into other cars. In this manner it will be seen that the freight may be very. expeditiously handled.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patente 1. The combination, with the freight-platform A, having the endless railway-track G, sidings K, and endless propelling-chain E, of the trucks H, adapted to run upon the track and sidings, as set forth.

2. The trucks H, provided with the plate L, having holes and pin f, in combination with mechanism for operating the switches automatically'to switch the trucks from the main, track to any desired siding, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The endless track 0, sidings K K, and switch-levers e 0, arranged in different lines for each siding,in combination with the trucks H, adapted to hold the pins ff in different positions in line with one or other set of levers e e, as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The trucks H, adapted to carry the pins ff, in combination with the track 0, sidings K K, and the switch-levers e e, as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The endless chain E, provided with the plates G, in combination with the trucks H, provided with the plates J, as and for the purpose set forth.

6. The platform A, having the endless railroad-track G and endless chain E, the chain being depressed at one part of the circuit for bringing the truck to a standstill for loading, as set forth.

7 The platform A, having the endless track G, and sidings K K built into it, and having the space 1) formed through it between the rails of the track,in combination with the endless chain E and trucks H, the chain being provided with the plates G and the trucks with the plates J, movable or immovable, as and for the purpose set forth.

FRANCIS H. WEEKS.

Witnesses:

H. A. WEST, EDGAR TATE. 

